2/26/09

"Where are they?!" Batman demands furiously after slamming The Joker's head into the two-way glass in the interrogation room. "Killing is making a choice," says The Joker as he looks up with his permanent smile and Batman punches him hard across the face. "Where are they?!" Batman demands again. "You choose, one life or the other," says The Joker, "Your friend, the district attorney, or his blushing bride-to-be." Batman punches him again and The Joker laughs maniacally. "You have nothing. Nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength." Batman picks The Joker up by his collar and holds him. "But dont worry," The Joker says, "I'm going to tell you where they are. Both of them, and thats the point--you'll have to choose..."

Childhood Memory

One of the first memories I have as a child is not such a good one, but it is still very vivid in my mind and it taught me a very valuable lesson. I was about four years old and very anxious to learn everything I could, as fast as I could, about everything. On this particular day, the thing I wanted to learn about happened to be about three times taller than me, outweigh me by, oh, a couple thousand pounds, have four legs, a tail, and a mind of its own. Being the brave soul that I was, I was not about to let such a beast of a horse intimidate me. I wanted to ride it and I did not give up nagging my mother about it until she gave in. I waited out in the driveway beside the well house with such anticipation that it seemed as if she would never return from the 5-minute walk to the barn and back. Finally, she did return holding the massive animal that I was determined to conquer. As I looked up at the horse, it somehow seemed much bigger than it had in my brave mind. I almost started to think twice about this endeavor. My mother steadied the horse and then lifted me up on its back. I had been up on my father's shoulders many times, but I had never seen the ground so far beneath me. My stomach began to twist and turn, but I was determined not to back down. Then, I noticed something was missing. I was sitting on the horse's bare back with nothing but the mane to hold onto since my mother had the reins in her hand. This was not right. There was no saddle, and with no saddle, there was no saddle horn to hold onto as I had seen the other kids do. Where was the saddle? I pleaded my case to my mother and finally she called for my sister to come hold the reins while she went to get the saddle. I sat on top of the beast as I watched my mother disappear back into the barn to retrieve the saddle. Then, the horse moved suddenly. Apparently, my sister was not as good at holding the horse still as my mother was. I do not remember going to the hospital that day, or getting stitches in my forehead, but I do remember making a decision that day. Never again would I try to conquer something that was bigger than me and had four legs and a mind of its own.

Cueing lines

1. I'm not quite sure but I seem to remember...
2. It seems like it has been forever since...
3. I'll never forget the way she sounded when...
4. The expression on his face was...